“There is too much love in this room”, I will always remember those words that mon chéri pronounced on the day I graduated from my Yoga Teaching Course. They still make me smile and always will. We can’t deny it – and why would we – when we do yoga we experience a state of deeper connection. A deeper connection to ourself, our body, our breath, our mind, but also a deeper connection to our environment, the people, the trees, the infinite. It might sound cliché to you but it is the truth. Have you ever experienced that feeling during or after doing yoga? I’m sure you have. If not, keep practicing, it will surely come soon!
Yoga means to yoke, to create a union.
It is is both the state of union
& the process of achieving it.
Yoga teaches us to be present and cultivate being present. We become more accepting, more respectful, more understanding, more compassionate. Towards ourselves and towards others around us. We learn to undermine that feeling of separation. And we naturally and more openly express a quality and feeling intrinsic to the Self, love. So yes, it’s probably why love was so present during our graduation ceremony. It was profound, it was real and it was exhilarating. After spending two years developing and cultivating our beautiful Sangha (community, spiritual family). After so many hours together on our mats sharing the practice. So many hours sitting in circle on our bolsters exchanging thoughts, ideas, laughs, frustrations. Sharing very personal experiences. Joyful ones, and other ones not so joyful. We’ve developed a deep and truthful connection to each other, which apparently was very tangible when we all got together in the same room with our families and friends!
Now let me tell you another real life story.
A very brave and a very touching one…
Eideann (in the photo below) is one of my students of Yoga in French. Last week at the start of the class as she putting her hair into a bun, I was looking with admiration at her beautiful blond and super long main. I mentioned that I never realised how long her hair was. Eideann responded that she had been growing her hair for a while but that she was about to shave it all off the following Saturday… I was shocked! Until I heard the full story. Eideann was going to donate her 73 cm long hair to be made into a wig for a cancer patient. She was also raising money for the Leukaemia Foundation. You can find out more on her fundraising page where she has beautifully expressed her motivations and her fears. Please read it, it’s brave, generous and inspiring. And you can still support her action with a donation.
Does Yoga empower us to act selflessly?
Yes? Maybe? Partially? While not all act of kindness or expression of love have their roots in the practice of yoga, I can certainly relate. You too might have personally experienced changes in the way you connect to others and react to external situations and the outside world since you’ve started a regular practice. Please feel free to share, I’d love to hear your story too.